Hair Diary || First Wash-n-Go in Years!

Due to personal health reasons, I took down my jumbo twists and figured I would try Cynthiarf's daily wash-n-go regimen for kinky hair.  I will admit that I was extremely frightened (for knots and tangles) considering my length and shrinkage.  Exhibit A:

LEFT: Straight almost WSL hair (shot from July 2012). RIGHT: Shrunken, un-combed, damp hair (January 2013).  Shrinkage never ceases to amaze me.  Hair eventually shrinks to EL once dry.

To my surprise, the regimen has been working well, but it's only been a few days so far.  I have very little knotting and tangling due to her finger combing method (to remove shed hair).  It also helps that my hair was previously (and thoroughly) detangled prior to the jumbo twists (hence hardly any tangles when starting her routine).  Anyway, below are a few more photos.  I have to keep up this regimen for two more weeks before I can go back to my regular routine.  I'll certainly keep you all posted!

Slight coil definition after raking through with generous amounts of Eco Styler gel.  Otherwise, my hair doesn't really coil on it own.

Put into a puff.  Shrinkage.  :o)
My edges are shot from having not re-done them while in braid extensions.  They'll fill in again.

"Soul" Food Mondays ... Er, A Day Late || Resilience As Your Best Friend

"No matter what or who has hurt you in this life, resilience must be your best friend.  Learn to rise each time you fall.  All will turn out well in the end." ~SOPHIA A. NELSON

Resilience.  An ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change (Merriam-Webster).  Make it your best friend for it will be there with you through and after adversity.  It may not prevent the inevitable but it will lessen the blow, keep you sane, and make you all the stronger.  Resilience must be your best friend.

...?

This week I took on the role of chair of the National Alliance for Arts, Health & Wellbeing and it promises to be an interesting period of development in the field. More of that very soon. Not entirely unconnected, I would like to talk to anyone who has had experience of mentoring in this arts and health world. I’m particularly interested in exploring reverse mentoring, whereby people who are slightly (hmmm) ‘long-in the-tooth’ like me, might benefit from a younger and dynamic arts/health person, perhaps someone who didn’t knowingly start out on this path, but finds either their health or arts journey has led them to thinking about this work - or perhaps someone whose start in life hasn’t been ‘conventional’. So, a two-way street in mentoring to benefit both partners. Get in touch if you’ve ideas on this.

People laughing their heads off at a Networking Event 

The first networking event with a focus on arts and recovery is set for Thursday 7th February and details of timings will be sent out to those of you who have registered a few days before. As though that’s not enough for February, I’ll be holding another session on Thursday 28th February between 6:00 and 8:00PM! I’m exploring how we define this arts and health thing that we do, and talking with friends and colleagues in Lithuania, we’ve been unpicking a very early John Angus Arts and Health Framework that he produced for the Health Development Agency back in 2002. It’s got me started exploring how we can better tell our story in words and ‘pictures’... What on earth do I mean? Well, how are we evolving? Is it just the same old synergies, divisions and silos, or are we thinking differently? SO - I’ll have done some preparatory work for the session, but it will be an interactive evening where we all contribute to visualising where we feel the field is at this ever-evolving moment in time. The little film at the top of the page, is a starting point for me. To take part in this event, you’ll need to register here artsforhealth@mmu.ac.uk 

Did you know that Manchester boasts at least 153 languages, making it one of the worlds most diverse places? According to University of Manchester linguist, Professor Yaron Matras the list could get even higher! He comments that “Manchester’s language diversity is higher than many countries in the world. It is very likely to be top of the list in Europe, certainly when compared to other cities of its size, perhaps only outflanked by London and Paris. We do know that around two thirds of Mancunian schoolchildren are bilingual  - a huge figure which indicates just how precious its linguistic culture is.” To find out more click on the animals below.

Celebrate Chinese New Year

SNAKE MUSIC at the CHINESE ARTS CENTRE

Thursday 7th February 8pm 

On the evening of the first networking event you can follow all the excitement and celebrate the Year of the Snake with a fusion of Chinese music, jazz, beats and inspiring tunes featuring the amazing Yin Ng. This renowned composer, arranger and performer was the “musician of the Year” in Hong Kong in 2012. Yin has worked with More Music for over 6 years which included working on the inspiring LONG WALK project in Hong Kong in 2009. This piece was created by Artistic Director of More Music, Pete Moser, as a response to the Morecambe Bay tragedy of 2004 and was made and performed in Morecambe, Gateshead, Liverpool and Hong Kong. More details about this event can be found by clicking on this Ai Weiwei snake made in response to the 2008 Sichuan earthquake that left nearly 90,000 people dead or missing. Many of the victims were students who died when their poorly constructed schools collapsed on them.  Called "Snake Ceiling", it is made of hundreds of backpacks latched together in the shape of a snake. These are meant to represent children's backpacks left behind after the earthquake. Ai said he saw numerous piles of backpacks outside schools when he traveled to Sichuan following the disaster. 

Musical Spaces in Medical Places

A one-day training & workshop opportunity following our Music & Wellbeing agenda, in conjunction with the Royal Northern College of Music.

Published on: 10/01/2013 A fantastic Making Music training opportunity at the RNCM for musical groups who would like to take their music into hospitals or other medical places. Led by experts in this field, Ros Hawley and Mark Fisher, the day will equip you with new skills to enter this rewarding sector. Read more and register your interest by clicking on the sublime Musique et Sante musician, Dédé Saint-Prix.

Developing Supportive Design 

for People with Dementia 

There is growing awareness of the importance of the environment within health care. The King's Fund's Enhancing the Healing Environment (EHE) programme encourages and enables nurse-led teams to work in partnership with patients to improve the environment in which to deliver care. This publication seeks to provide practical, value-for-money examples to encourage and inspire staff and their organisations to provide an environment of care that better supports people with dementia. As well as case studies with before and after photographs from participating sites, Developing Supportive Design for People with Dementia includes information about the development and evaluation of the EHE assessment tool; overarching design principles for creating a more supportive environment for people with dementia; and a project directory detailing the artists and designers involved in each scheme along with costs involved. Click on the graphic below for more details.

TWO MAJOR CONTRACTS
Family Friendly Arts Campaign MA Contracts available, The Family Friendly arts campaign is inviting tenders for two major pieces of work:

http://www.tmauk.org/Downloads/FamilyArtsFestivalDeliveryBriefFINAL040113.pdf

http://www.tmauk.org/Downloads/EvaluationTenderBriefFINAL040113.pdf

The Big Venture Challenge (North West)

The Big Venture Challenge, a national competition seeking to find the 30 most ambitious social entrepreneurs in England, has announced that it is open for applications.  Big Venture Challenge is looking for people:

• With big ideas to transform disadvantaged communities across England

• Who have got what it takes to build credible ventures

• Who have the ambition to be scaled up fast.

To be eligible to apply applicants must be 16+, be founders of the venture, and be based in England. Those selected as one of the 30 Big Challenge Award Winners will participate in an intensive 12 month programme that is designed to help raise external investment (debt or equity) of between £50,000 to £250,000.  The Big Venture Challenge will run themed and regional cohorts every year in order to build deeper, more relevant strategic support networks around each cohort. In 2013 the themed cohort will be in Health and Social Care and the regional cohort will be in the North West of England.  The applications closing date is 9am on the 8th February 2013. Read more at: http://unltd.org.uk/bvc/entrepreneur

People's Postcode Trust Small Grants Programme 
(England, Scotland & Wales)

The People's Postcode Trust has announced the first funding round for the 2013 small grants programme is now open. Through its small grants programme, the People's Postcode Trust offers grants of between £500 and £10,000 to small organisations and community groups for projects lasting up to 6 months in the areas of:

• Poverty Prevention
• Advancement of Health
• Community Development
• Public Sports
• Human Rights
• Environmental Protection.

This funding round is open to organisations in Scotland, Wales and Northern England.  The closing date for applications is the 22nd February 2013. For further information on this and future funding rounds please click: http://www.postcodetrust.org.uk/

New Grants Programme for Gypsy Roma & Traveller Groups (UK)

The Travellers Aid Trust has announced the launch of a new grants programme for Gypsy Roma and Traveller groups.  Funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the programme will make grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 to Gypsy Roma and Traveller groups to help skill up young people, improve literacy and work with offenders.  The Travellers Aid Trust expects to award between 7 and 10 grants a year over the next two years.

The closing date for the first round of applications is the 8th February 2013. Read more by clicking the image above.

...and a song to keep you bemused with slightly creepy tigers and rabbits cycling into an inky dark place...

☔

The Basics to CHANGING a Hair Care Regimen || Part I

As we reach new lengths, sometimes our hair care regimens must change.  Our strands -- which may not only be longer now, but may also have changed slightly in coil/curl pattern -- may require different handling methods and products.  A change in our regimen may also be necessary when the ingredients listing on a staple product has been altered, our income has been adjusted, or the weather has varied significantly.  Whatever the reason for a change, it can be scary going from a familiar routine to a new one.  Let these quick tips be a guide and keep your fear at bay:

Look at what others with similar hair length, type, texture, AND density are doing.  It is not enough to just look at women with a similar hair type to yours.  Look for those with your length (or a length to which you aspire), texture (that is, fine, medium, or coarse strands - a measure of circumference), and density (that is, the number of strands on your head).  Use women with two to all four of these characteristics as a starting point for adjusting your routine. 

Find products with ingredients your hair loves.  This step is especially applicable if your staple product has new ingredients, is discontinued, or is now out of your budget.  Begin your search for a replacement by looking for a similar ingredients listings to your original staple product.  Look for generics - some of which may be carried at Sally's Beauty Supply (for U.S. readers) - for example, "Hair One" in place of "Wen".  Another option is to consider becoming a mixtress (that is, mixing your own product).

Use thicker, heavier products during colder weather.  Products that work just fine during the warmer months may lose their effectiveness in the colder months.  It may be necessary to incorporate or switch to heavier oils, conditioners, and butters.  They will better protect your strands and retain moisture in your hair during this time.

To be continued ...

Oldies, But Goodies

1. Protective Style Lookbook || 20+ Styles on Braids & Twists
2. Healthy Hair Feature: Ijeoma Eboh, aka KlassyKinks
3. Foods for Eye Health
4. Mixology || Natural Bubble Bath
5. Shedding Too Much Hair?

Sweet Potato Hash and Eggs (via The Chronicles of Home)

I'm all about breakfast for dinner, so I'm excited about Jennifer's (The Chronicles of Home) recipe for this week, Sweet Potato Hash and Eggs!

Sweet Potato Hash and Eggs – serves 4

When it comes to breakfast-for-dinner I'm definitely more a fan of egg dishes than pancakes or waffles.  This hash is so flavorful and satisfying it almost makes me forget that it's more of a traditional breakfast dish than a "real" dinner. 

Using sweet potatoes in place of white potatoes does change the texture of the hash.  It won't be crispy like a potato hash made with white potatoes but I actually really love the softer, creamier texture.  And the flavor of the sweet potatoes is a great balance to the salty ham.

I use a nitrate-free Canadian bacon, which is a great staple to keep in your fridge.  It's a lean meat, already cooked, and can be chopped up and thrown into any number of dishes or just warmed and served alongside some pancakes.

A fried egg on top with a soft yolk and crispy edges is the perfect finishing touch.  You may find yourself making this for breakfast and for dinner!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

2 ½ c. peeled sweet potatoes, cut into ½” cubes

6 oz. Canadian bacon, diced

1 c. chopped yellow onion

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbsp. horseradish

2 c. arugula

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 eggs

1 avocado, peeled and cut into chunks

Directions

Heat grapeseed oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat.  Add sweet potatoes, cover, and cook 5 minutes.  

Stir in Canadian bacon, onion, mustard, and horseradish.  Cover and cook until the sweet potato is tender and the bottom turns golden, about 8-10 minutes.  

Flip sections of the hash and press down with a spatula.  Cook uncovered  another 8-10 minutes, flipping sections occasionally so hash browns evenly.  Stir in arugula and cook a few minutes until it wilts.

Meanwhile heat olive oil in another nonstick pan over medium-high heat.  Add eggs and cook until whites are set but yolks are soft.

Divide hash among four plates.  Top each with ¼ of the avocado and 1 fried egg.  Serve immediately.

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For more recipes from Jennifer, and to see glimpses into her home and fabulous DIY projects, click the banner below.

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My Live Fit Supplements

I've gotten some questions about the supplements I take on the Live Fit program, and I've been following what the program recommends-  a daily multivitamin, daily Flaxseed or Fish Oil, branched chain amino acid (BCAA), and protein shake.  

Multivitamin- According to Dr. Oz, a multivitamin fulfills your daily nutritional needs for the day.  He recommends taking half in the morning and half at night to maximize absorption.  One of my gummy multivitamins is half a dose, so that works perfect for me to take one in the morning and one at night.  

Fish Oil- I posted the information on Fish Oil from Dr. Oz' website below:

1. Although the recent analysis of 20 studies done since 1989 (out of over 3,600 studies performed!) showed that the 10% reduction in cardiac death was not statistically significant, the chance that it might help, in my opinion, outweighs the risk of taking it (basically, no risk!).

2. The studies performed from 1989 to 1998 more routinely showed significant benefit compared to the later studies. The possible reason for the change: Statin drugs have become the standard of care in patients with cardiovascular disease since 1998. With such powerful drugs on board, it may be very difficult to see an added benefit of fish oil.

3. Omega-3 fats are essential fats. That means our body needs them to function, but we can't make them on our own. We must get them from our diets. Unfortunately, most of us don't eat enough fish, or the fish we're eating may not be great sources of these necessary fats (often due to the type of fish or the farming practices). Plant-based sources of omega-3's (like walnuts, flax seeds and chia seeds) are great sources of one type of EPA omega-3, but not the other, DHA. You need to eat good sources of fish (wild salmon, trout, sardines, anchovies, herring and mackerel), or algae (as in sushi), or take supplements in order to get the DHA.

4. Omega-3's have been found to be beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis, reduction in breast cancer risk, reduction in ulcerative colitis risk, prevention of weight loss during chemotherapy, prevention of age-related macular degeneration, decreased symptoms of depression, anxiety, bipolar disease, and schizophrenia, decrease in premature births, and age-related cognitive decline.

We have a ways to go before the scientists have proven, without a doubt, all the benefits of taking omega-3 supplements, but for now, it makes sense to take at least 600mg/day of DHA as insurance against low dietary intakes, given the minimal risk (other than the cost of the pills or the risk of reaction in patients with severe fish allergy).

BCAA-  Branched Chain Amino Acids may help promote workout recovery, encourage muscle growth, and support strength.  I got mine through the Bodybuilding.com website.  I add 3 tablespoons to my water bottle and drink it while I workout.  Mine is orange flavored so it just tastes like orange-flavored water.  I like the taste. 

Protein Powder- I try to drink a shake after each workout.  Right now, I'm making it with one packet of Lean Body for Her powder plus 8 ounces of water and a few ice cubes.  It tastes like a chocolate milk shake. 

Do you take any supplements?  Vitamins?

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